PURPOSE: To obtain a colored product resistant to degradation and having stabilized color, by adding microcrystalline cellulose and a pigment uniformly to an alcoholic solution of shellac having acidic pH.

CONSTITUTION: Colored microcrystalline cellulose or paste or cake of microcrystalline cellulose colored with an aqueous solution of pigment is added to an alcoholic solution of shellac having acidic pH, and the mixture is homogenized by stirring, shaking, blasting of neutral gas, etc. Microcrystalline cellulose is fine powder obtained by hydrolyzing wood pulp with a mineral acid and removing the most part of the amorphous part. The useful microcrystalline cellulose is those containing the component having a total length of about 60W0.1μ in an amount of ≥50% of the microcrystalline cellulose.

USE: Printing ink and paint.